On December 26, 2025, outgoing Mayor Adams vetoed a bill passed by the city council on Christmas Eve (December 24). The bill provided sexual assault victims with an 18-month window period, allowing them to sue perpetrators of sexual crimes even after the statute of limitations has expired. However, Julie Menin, who is expected to become the new city council speaker next year, made it clear that the council will overturn Adams’ veto.
The city council has 30 days to overturn the mayor’s veto; overturning it requires support from three-quarters of the 51 council members. Manning told the New York Post, “Just as our predominantly female city council stands with survivors and unanimously voted in favor, we will also vote to overturn the mayor’s veto.”
Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers introduced the bill in May of this year, aiming to reopen an 18-month statute of limitations window, allowing victims of gender violence to file civil suits for crimes committed before January 9, 2022. Previously, a bill known as the “Gender Violence Act” temporarily allowed such victims to file suits after the statute of limitations had expired, but it had expired earlier this year.
In November, the city council unanimously passed the bill titled the “Gender Motivated Violence Act” (Intro. 1297-A), allowing victims to continue lawsuits. The passage of this bill means that victims of Jeffrey Epstein can continue to seek compensation from his estate.
Adams clarified to the media why he vetoed the bill.
“Domestic violence is a serious crime, and abusers must be held accountable and prosecuted. However, this bill allows a law firm that had lobbied the city council speaker and the council, to siphon up to $300 million from taxpayers’ money and reopen dismissed lawsuits.”
Adams said in a statement, “This is not justice but a windfall for a powerful law firm at the expense of survivors and all New York taxpayers. Our office tried to work with the council to ensure that domestic violence survivors receive compensation and limit the firm’s legal fees, but they refused to cooperate.”
Manning stated in an interview with the Post on Thursday that the new city council will vote to overturn Mayor Adams’ veto in the new year.
“The mayor’s veto suddenly mentioned that this bill would bring huge costs to the city, which they did not mention at all during the hearing,” Manning said. “However, we clearly heard the testimonies of survivors of sexual violence and gender violence, including the harrowing experiences of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors. Their voices clearly demonstrate that passing this bill is crucial to ensuring that survivors can seek justice for the heinous acts they have endured.”